JAPAN
AIR LINES
DC-8-62

The
"Unsinkable" DC-8

Another
story about just how tough the DC-8 is happened right here in San Francisco.
An Interesting
Story About One Of JAL DC-8’s: On May 27, 1968 a DC-8-62, registered JA8032,
was delivered to JAL & named ‘Shiga.’ Unfortunately, after less than six
months of service, this aircraft landed in San Francisco Bay, approximately
2 miles (3Kms) short of the runway at San Francisco International Airport.
Fortunately, where the aircraft "touched down" the water was shallow
(approximately 9 feet deep) and once the landing gear settled into the mud
of the bay the water level was just at the bottom of the passenger door sills.
All passengers were safely evacuated & there were no injuries – except
for a nearly new DC-8-62. It was another stroke of luck that United Air Lines
(the large